The field of this invention is that of circuit panel systems and the inventions relates more particularly to improved connectors for use in such systems and to methods for making such systems.
Typically screw machine contact assemblies used in high reliability military printed circuit panel connectors and the like are mounted in openings in insulating connector bodies and are retained in those openings by individual metal C-clips. The connectors are mounted on a circuit panel with contact member posts extending from the connector body and fitted into corresponding openings in the circuit panel and soldered to circuit paths on the circuit panel. The cost of fabricating and assembling these numerous tiny clips adds significantly to the total connector manufacturing cost and the clips tend to be difficult to remove when replacement of a contact member soldered in a circuit panel system is required.